Hot Chocolate
by Banana Flake
Summary: In another universe, Nico and Maki share a dorm/apartment with one another as they study for their exams. Anti-social roommates fall into conflict. [Fluff]


Nico came home to her small apartment that she shared with one other person.  
>After a long day at her job as a waitress, she figured she had the right to relax for the remainder of the afternoon.<p>

And today, like most days, she decided to do just that by sitting on the lounge watching television.

She walked through the front door and hung up her bag on the clothes hook screwed to the wall beside the door-frame.  
>After a quick glance to above the wooden clothes hooks base, she recalled the tacky 'Welcome Home' sign she hung there when she first got the place.<br>But then she didn't have her very unimpressed, but very _attractive_ roommate living here, as well.

She bit the inside of her cheek and turned, then strode into her bedroom and changed into softer clothes for her well deserved afternoon of laziness.

After emerging from her room, she bopped her head along to the fresh beat from a popular pop-song that caught up in her brain all the way to the kitchen.  
>She felt it was safe to be herself as of that moment, as she hadn't heard, nor spotted the attractive neat-freak of a roommate she had.<p>

Nico sighed as she made herself a hot chocolate from off the top of her head.  
>The mouth-watering bliss of coco powder combined with thick creamy milk wafted directly to her nose.<br>She melted along side the contents of the now steamy mug, a harsh quiver rumbled off her shoulders.

She picked up the piping hot porcelain mug by the rim and made sure not to let the precious liquid splash to her sensitive fingertips from within.  
>It wasn't long until she strolled into the lounge-room, still humming the music track to that hit song.<p>

Although her complete focus had been on the boiling hot chocolate she held, from her peripheral vision- her eyes identified another being who was seated on the couch she had planned to spend the evening on.  
>This sudden development did in fact startle her enough to halt her moving further into the room.<p>

"Hey, Maki-chan" She greeted casually, her brain still solely focused on the beverage she held.  
>The heat from within heated the mug, now singeing her fingertips without mercy.<br>Her forehead broke out in a sweat and so did her palms from the steam that rose up from the boiling contents of utter deliciousness.

'C'mon Nico! You're a damn waitress, you've done harder tasks than _this_!' She reassured herself as she stepped swiftly behind the coffee table, setting down the mug of chocolate on a coaster.

She sighed when she leaned back, allowing the tension in her taut muscles to relax with a much needed slump of her shoulders.  
>Nico wished she could just become one with this mighty fine couch.<p>

"Hey" The neat girl beside her finally managed to respond in an average tone.  
>She seemed too consumed in her book as usual.<br>Nico had learnt that her attractive roommate wasn't much of a communicator on the whole.  
>This girl didn't have many friends, or if she did, Nico wouldn't ever know.<p>

On the odd occasion, Nico would study the neat roommate as she continued to read and finish novels.  
>The girls face, as Nico would put it, became arranged in a very complicated expression.<br>And, often would this girl bite her bottom lip, eye brows furrowed as if she were put to the test of getting a puzzle solved.

It was times like those did Nico really realize how attractive her roommate truly was.  
>She gazed down the girl next to her and checked out her legs that were crossed, one over the other, neatly.<p>

Nico grimaced that the girl beside her possessed a more mature body than herself, but she wished the thought away when she reached for the television remote.  
>She leaned closer to to the coffee table and after she retrieved the remote, she retracted back into the comfort of the couch.<p>

After she flicked through the channels and quickly realized that nothing she saw interested her.  
>She sank further into the upholstery of the couch as she continued to flick through the many channels.<p>

Occasionally, she heard the faint turning of a page.  
>The crisp rummaging sound from it's light friction against Makis fingertip in the process of another page Being turned.<p>

Nico became fixated on the delicate sound and muted the television.

With her bored expression, she wondered what the redhead beside her could possibly be reading.  
>The wonder flew right out the window when her ears perked up at the small murmur her roommate made.<br>Mumbling something along the lines of 'that smells good'?

Nico quickly came to the conclusion that Maki referred to the hot beverage on the coffee table in front of the pair, as no other reasoning would make sense.  
>She wished to thank the redhead, as she had completely forgotten about her steamy drink as she savored the sound of the book being read.<p>

Once again, she leaned forward- scooping up the heated mug in her smaller-than-average hands as she took a sip with the utmost caution.  
>She slurped the delicious beverage on accident, the sound resonating through the room and she blushed when she was sure the girl beside her heard it.<p>

Lowering the cup from her lips, she savored the sweet warmth that coated her tongue.  
>After she swallowed, she sighed in contentment.<br>Pressing the hot mug to her cheek as small bumps of pleasure raised all over her body.

Maybe it was the small body-shiver that Nico wriggled from, but Maki stopped reading her book.

"Why is the TV on mute?" The girl with the glistening red locks questioned, looking up with the most quizzical of looks.

"N-no reason!" She replied quickly.

There was an inflated silence between the two of them as Maki eventually returned to her novel.

Nico felt rather frustrated, wanting their interaction to go for a little longer this time.  
>She wanted to learn more about this roommate of hers, although she already knew the basics.<br>Well...she knew the girl beside her liked to _read_, and she knew she had a great physique.

After what felt too long of letting herself be stewed in the fat silence, she broke it.

"Is reading all you do?" Nico asked, though it came out sounding like a harsh jab. She swallowed with difficulty, knowing she was going to be dished a punishment for her attitude.

The attractive redhead beside her on the couch lowered her novel, closing it gracefully around her thumb that was fitted between the pages she was on.

"No," She answered, her voice sounded nonchalant as she continued to look at her hand which clasped over her book.  
>"And even if it were, it'd be better than watching television during all of my spare time."<p>

"Tch!" Nico's eyes narrowed into angry slits, glaring daggers at the only other occupant of the room.  
>"Least I'm actually open to having a conversation," She replied, irritated from the confidence the redhead held in her words.<br>"You're just about the most anti-social person I've ever met!"

"What's with that? It's not like you ever initiate conversation either." Maki huffed. Her voice was low as if she were putting quite the amount of thought into their small argument. She cast her line of sight downward before she finished with  
>"...All you do is stare at me."<p>

"W-what?!" Her face stained itself bright red as she prayed for steam to not leave her ears.  
>'<em>Crap<em>! Have I really been that obvious?!' She screamed internally.  
>"No, I h-haven't!" She denied further.<p>

"Yeah, you have."

"I haven't.

"You have."

"Haven't!"

"Have!"

"Okay, fine!" Nico cried, "But if I've been staring, it's only because you never speak to me!" She huffed as she finished.  
>That being her weak attempt to clear up any supposed 'misunderstandings' her roommate could have conjured up on her pretty little lonesome.<p>

'Misunderstandings' actually being too correct.

"Uuuu...Fine, fine. What is it you want to know?" Maki asked in her quickly accepted defeat. This stunned Nico.

"What?"  
><em><br>What._

"What is it that you want to talk about?" She repeated calmly, her amethyst eyes seemed so far away despite their fairly close proximity to each other.  
>Her irises another world Nico could fall into- much like Alice and the rabbit hole to wonderland.<p>

_"Uhhhhh,_" Her mind blanked itself out, not a topic was left in sight."W-well, do you have any hobbies?"

Maki closed her book and placed it on the coffee table before them.  
>Next, she swiveled her hips and brought her very long legs up onto her half of the couch.<br>She crossed them and leaned her elbow on her right thigh, which caused her to lean closer to Nico which made said girl blush furiously.

"Well," She breathed as she began "besides the hobby you've already managed to pick at today," She twirled her shiny red locks between her fingertips "I also play piano."

"Ah, wow. Really?" Nico replied, her honesty burst through her response as she never thought the attractive roommate would actually be interesting,_ as well_.

Maki merely hummed in response, still fiddling with her tresses.

"Are you like one of those geniuses that can write their own music?" Nico chuckled to herself.  
>The absurdity of her light question brought her into a small giggle.<p>

"...I do." The redhead murmured under her breath before she sighed.  
>Closing her eyes like she had been mocked for it only a thousand times before.<p>

Nico bit the inside of her cheek as she regretted making the remark in the first place.  
>"...I'm sorry." The messier of the two apologised sheepishly.<p>

Wishing to remove herself from the situation entirely, Nico looked away to the right.  
>Directly at her mug as she then felt inspired to take another drink from it.<p>

"So, what about you?" The neat-freak questioned courteously in return.

Her very pretty lavender eyes looking almost too intently into Nicos own ruby ones.  
>The eye contact felt warm, like a heated bed to come home to.<p>

"Hm?" Nico murmured as she took a long drink of her hot chocolate. Her mumble echoed loudly into the mugs bottom and back out into the room.

"Do you have any hobbies..." Maki restated their topic. Although she noticed how often she repeated obvious social cues, it didn't seem that she cared.

"Hm, well." The girl with pig-tails began, as she closed her eyes and set her mug down "I do have a hobby, but I'm sure you'd make fun of me."

"What, you barely know me." The girl with silken red locks reminded.  
>"How could you possibly judge my character well enough to know how I'd react?" Maki replied as she brought very solid logic into their conversation in her defense.<p>

"If you're sure..." Nico started, still hesitant on telling her attractive roommate her hidden pleasure.

"I" The ruby eyed girl spoke, then closed her mouth. Feeling the intensity build the more she held eye contact with the beauty seated neatly beside her.

"Yeah?" Maki replied, seemingly trying to welcome the new information that had yet to be shared between them.  
>Nico wanted to fidget when she saw how Makis purple eyes twinkled as she replied.<p>

"Well I-I, uhhh..." She croaked out in embarrassment, warmth spreading over her cheeks as smoothly as soft butter gliding over toast.

"Out with it." Maki verbally shoved. Her normally angelic features had visible signs of irritation with the raven-haired girl.

"I collect idol merchandise." She got out. Breathing as if she had been holding her breath.

Maki leaned back in what Nico could only determine to be deep thought.  
>When her head flipped back on her neck and she replied, did Nico really start to ponder.<p>

"On a scale of 1 to hoarder-maniac, how much of a collector would you consider yourself?" The apparent pianist asked casually.

After a long pause of well thought through silence, Nico finally spoke up.

"Well...I suppose a solid 6." Nico answered as she noticed her hands trembled against her will.  
>Was she really nervous just to talk with her attractive roommate?<p>

"I see." Maki answered bluntly a small, but very present amount of distaste underlined in her words.

Nico blushed and brought her warm mug of hot chocolate back up to her mouth.  
>Her idea came to her as she put her cup back down and after she swallowed, she began<br>"So, can you only write the sheet music, or can you also write lyrics?"

"I can write both," She replied with modesty  
>"But I am polished only in piano." The taller girl answered, remaining passive and undisturbed as Nico questioned further.<p>

"Ah, okay, so...What is your favourite food?" The messier of the two advanced on impulse.  
>Her fear for the end of their calm, hassle-less conversation spooked her into action yet again.<p>

"Jeez, what kind of a question is that?" The taller girl questioned the question in reluctance.

"Just answer it!"

"...I personally really like tomato." She answered as she averted her gaze to to the floor.  
>A very faint blush appeared on the apples of her cheeks, too.<p>

Nico felt her heart fail to continue its constant pattern.  
>'Damn, Maki-chan is almost too cute...' She thought when she subconsciously memorized the girls expression of embarrassment.<p>

Once the redheaded beauty looked back up from her moment, Nico felt it was naturally implied that she was waiting for her answer.

"Oh, me?" The girl with pig-tails questioned rhetorically, psyching herself up "Everyone knows that Nico really love sweets!~" She finished, breaking from her more serious persona into her positive alter-ego.

Maki furrowed her brows, looking at Nico as if she had just injected botox into her face.  
>Unnatural, and borderline disturbed.<p>

"Sweets, huh? So unlike your personality..." Maki commented, her mouth tugged itself into a small amused smile.

Nico couldn't help her palpitating heart.  
>It drummed inside her eardrums like a hollow set of running steps.<br>_Jeez_, she was overly distracted by the girls slight expression of positive emotion.  
><em>'T-those damn lips!'<em>

"S-stop...doing that..." The small waitress grumbled out as she accidentally spoke her mind.

"Doing what?" Maki pressed quizzically, genuinely unsure of what Nico was referring too.

"Ugh...nothing." Nico sighed, as she relaxed her shoulders.  
>Letting go of the embarrassing slip up she had just openly referred towards.<p>

Nico glanced to her right, she found her mug with the little sweet liquid that remained within it's confinement.  
>She reached to retrieve the porcelain cup when she heard the other occupant in the room begin to talk.<p>

"Uuuu- do you think you could...uhhh" The redhead whispered, her voice soft as if desired to remain unheard.

Nico palmed the sides of the mug and felt the dying heated fluid inside it through the porcelain.  
>She held the mug over her lap as her eyes met with faraway purple which sent small tingles all over her skin.<p>

"Huh?"

"W-well, you see..." Maki tried to make her words clear, although she failed to verbalize it.  
>Nico just stared at the mute girl, unsure of what she was waiting for and lost on what she was supposed to do.<p>

After a small pause in communication between the two occupants of the room, Nico noticed the redheads eyes rested on the rim of her mug.  
>'Ooh! She wants me to make her a hot chocolate?~' She pondered with utmost giddiness.<p>

She wasn't going to let this go by with much ease, as she found this fact that Maki desired a hot chocolate to be full of tease potential.

"Oh~" Nico began, her voice warmed with humor. "So the ever mature Maki-chan wants a hot chocolate?" She finished her gentle prod as she stood.

"Uuuuu, well I-"

"Such a childish beverage for future Dr Nishikino-san~"

"Fine." The neat girl muttered as she folded her arms tight across her chest.  
>All her welcoming body language shut off as she began to isolate herself from any future confrontation.<p>

The usually gorgeous redheads cranky expression, down turned mouth and the huff she exhaled gave off the impression of a disappointed little kid.  
>Nico felt her cheeks prickle with heat.<p>

Seeing the very attractive, perfectly built girl in front of her shut off made her stomach stir with a heavy swish of discomfort.  
><em>'Sheesh, this one was hard to impress, ne?'<em>

"Okay, _okay!_" Nico yelled in submission.

She sat back down on the sofa, her mind jumping to the next step.

"But what do I get for it?" She questioned, trying to bargain with a very wealthy girl.

"W-what?!" Maki jumped, taken aback by the sudden turn of advance.  
>She didn't know her roommate wanted <em>payment<em>...

She noticed how close the dark-haired girl now leaned in and the pianist couldn't help but glance at Nicos lips.

"What do I get as payment for doing this for you?" She inquired, demanding a answer patiently.

"What do you want?" Maki asked in all shock and honesty, "Money?"  
>She thought to where her wallet was located in her bedroom.<br>Mentally drawing a map from where she sat to her bedroom door which held her bag that contained her wallet.

"Oh, no. I want a more unique means of payment." She informed softly.

Maki looked like she had just witnessed a talking head without a body.  
><em>'A more unique means of payment...?'<em>

"O-okay...but close your eyes." She began.

"Alright" The raven-haired girl accepted.  
>Shutting her eyes lightly as she wondered if she could get a peek.<p>

"-And keep them closed!" The taller of the two reminded, an irritable tone laced within her words.

_"Okay!" _Nico responded in a way that would give anyone the impression she had been nagged by her roommate all her life.

Maki stepped a little closer toward the shorter girl.  
>Examining the ebony-locked girls face without intending too.<br>Her hand raised itself and was about to make contact with the messier of the two's chin.  
>Swallowing her anxiety only seconds before her fingertips made contact with her jawline.<p>

Steadily moving her face closer to the other girls, she felt the temperature in the room climb.  
>She closed her eyes tight before touch down.<p>

Their lips pressed together slowly.  
>Although Nico tried to not let their lips smack as she pulled away, there was a soft sound of removal that resonated throughout the room.<br>The beholder of the crimson eyes barely lifted her lids before she pressed back against the neat-girl for some more.

A foreign zone her attractive roommate presented to her.  
>Their kisses were a combination of insecurity and open understandings.<br>Soft, new and pure.  
>This <em>worked, <em>and it made them both greatly confused. Maybe even _uncomfortable_.

When Nico finally pulled back, Maki was still in her kissing pose.  
>"U-uu-hhhh!" She stuttered out, face a dark red.<br>Questioning what had just taken place in their shared lounge-room.

When Makis eyes opened, the ever-lavender shone through into Nicos eyes once more.  
>The raven-haired girl stood quickly, the room seemed as if it were spinning.<p>

"I-i'll go make you that h-ot drink!" She seemed to say as she quickly removed herself from Makis presence.

Maki blinked a few times, now seated in the lounge room on her own.  
>She wet her lips with her tongue, sweeping up the taste of the smaller girls mouth.<p>

Her mouth watered as she identified the taste.  
>It suited the chilly, gloomy afternoon.<p>

Humming softly to herself, her mind tinkered with the lasting warm feeling upon her lips.

'...chocolate.'


End file.
